Home For Christmas
by Risknight
Summary: A teenage Sheldon comes home for Christmas with Meemaw. Things don't go exactly as he had hoped.


**Just a little something kind of sweet and simple for the holidays. May you all have a wonderful holiday, however, wherever, and with whomever you celebrate.**

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><p>Sheldon sulked near the back of the bookstore while his sister and her pen pal giggled near the magazine racks. He really should have stayed in Germany for the holidays. If only Meemaw hadn't asked him to come home and stay with her! He could never say no to her. Then Missy had to go and ruin it all by inviting her silly pen pal to visit!<p>

He cringed as Missy and Penny giggled again and rushed toward the romance section. Why did she have to visit now? Who lets their child visit strangers before the holidays anyway? He picked up a copy of Frankenstein and examined it without much interest. It was a mass produced, abridged copy, after all. He set it aside and ran his fingers along the spines of the classic literature section.

Growing more bored when he didn't see anything he wanted, he headed over to the graphic novels. He was disappointed to see he had everything worth reading on the shelves. He glanced over at the exit and sighed. Meemaw was across the way getting her hair done, and he had promised not to wander off alone.

"Hi."

He spun around and found Missy's friend standing close by. Sheldon looked around for Missy, and found her standing by a rack of bookmarks, flirting with some jock. He looked back at Penny who was smiling hesitantly at him.

"What?"

Penny tilted her head and looked at him. "You don't like me, do you?"

Sheldon blushed and looked back at the shelves. "I don't know what you mean." He twitched slightly, and blushed harder.

Penny snorted and crossed her thin arms over her softball jersey. "Every time you look at me, you glare like my sister does when she wants me to go away and leave her and her boyfriend alone."

Sheldon nodded. "Missy gives me that look when she's on the phone."

"So, why don't you like me?" Penny asked.

Sheldon hated being pushed into a corner. "Because I came home from school to spend the holiday with my Meemaw and you and Missy have monopolized all of her time!" he hissed. "She's spent all of her time driving you two around and cooking _your _favorite foods! This is my worst Christmas ever!"

Penny's eyes widened and she flinched. "Oh."

Sheldon opened his mouth to apologize but Penny slipped around the shelf and disappeared before he could. He sighed sadly and headed out of the bookstore. He sat down on the bench outside and waited for Meemaw to come get them.

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><p>Sheldon woke up, showered and dressed. It was Christmas Eve. Penny was supposed to stay until today, but she had gone home three days ago, telling Missy she missed her Daddy. He never did get the chance to apologize. She had made sure they were never alone. He waked down to the kitchen for breakfast and the first gift. Meemaw had always allowed them to open one gift, of her choosing, on Christmas Eve. Usually it was new pajamas or shoes.<p>

Meemaw hugged him as soon as he sat down. Missy was beside him, looking half asleep, clutching a new pair of boots with one hand. Junior was shoveling eggs into his mouth as fast as he could, a new flannel jacket by his side. Sheldon ate his grits and eggs, eager to leave the table so he could watch the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.

"Moon Pie, here's your gift," Meemaw said softly, setting a lumpy, unevenly wrapped package in front of him.

He looked at it with confusion for a moment. Surely this wasn't really _his_? Everyone knew he had to have his gifts wrapped smoothly with the tape evenly spaced. He looked at his grandmother who gestured toward the gift encouragingly.

He twitched slightly as he picked it up. It was surprisingly light. With a grimace he carefully peeled away the tape and folded back the wrinkled paper.

"Shelly got a doll!" Junior snorted with laughter.

Meemaw cuffed Junior on the back of the head and shushed him. "There's a note, Moon Pie."

Sheldon looked at the Snoopy doll for a moment more before unfolding the note between his paws.

_Sheldon,_

_I am sorry I ruined your visit. I didn't mean to. It was awesome to meet a totally cool, really real genius. Mrs. Lee said you like Charlie Brown, so I hope you like this enough to forgive me. Merry Christmas._

_Your Friend,_

_Penny_

Sheldon looked back at the toy with guilt. She had bought him Snoopy? After he upset her?

Meemaw sat down after sending Missy and Junior out of the kitchen. "Moon Pie, I owe you an apology."

He looked at her with surprise. "Why would you owe me an apology?"

Meemaw smiled softly. "You were expecting to have more attention from me than you got. I have missed you a great deal, honey, and I am very glad you came home for the holiday. But you have to understand, Penny is a very lonely young girl. She needed some attention, too."

Sheldon sighed. "I didn't mean to upset her, Meemaw."

Meemaw smiled and kissed his forehead. She picked up the Snoopy doll and handed it to him. "I know. So does she. But never forget this happened, Moon Pie. And the next time you meet someone, remember that they have feelings, too."

Sheldon nodded solemnly and stood up, holding the doll. "Okay," he said softly.

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><p>Sheldon looked around his new apartment carefully. Almost everything was in it's optimum place. He didn't have much furniture, except a couple of lawn chairs, but he didn't really need much, either. His books and DVDs were placed on their shelves. His desk and laptop were set up. He picked up his last cherished possession and looked around the apartment carefully. He walked over to the large bay window and stepped up onto a crate. He set the Snoopy doll right in the center of the overhead shelf and looked at it. He adjusted it to the left slightly and nodded. Perfect.<p> 


End file.
